


Ten of Cups (Reversed)

by Slytherwitch



Series: Tarot Inspired Ficlets [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Not Canon Compliant, Slice of Life, Tarot card based, Ten of Cups Reversed, Yes I know that Gardiner isn't the correct spelling, but ive only tagged the ones who do stuff, doctors roll in their grave, i have no medical knowledge, references many characters, somewhat sickfic, web m.d. is at fault
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-12 15:31:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19134913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slytherwitch/pseuds/Slytherwitch
Summary: Something is off about Malcolm Pace. He's not how he used to be. (Tarot Card Inspired)





	Ten of Cups (Reversed)

Malcolm Pace is not one for emotions. He was smart and calculating and strategic. He could see emotions in others, but couldn’t acknowledge his own. That’s why when he noticed his sister and her current boyfriend first falling for each other, he teamed up with Silena Beauregard and Clarisse la Rue to get together. However, it is also why he didn’t notice he was falling for Katie Gardiner.

  
Malcolm would never say he’s good at emotions. He’s just observant with other people. He can see chemistry in other people. He’s good at getting them together with elaborate planning. How else would Percabeth have become a thing if it wasn’t by the joint effort of him, Clarisse, and the late great Silena?

  
Katie would also say he’s oblivious to himself. Sure, he could see other people’s emotions, but never his own. To her, it’s a bit infuriating, but she deals with it. That’s just how Malcolm is.

  
So, when he comes into the Demeter Cabin and plops onto her bed, it’s just how Malcolm is. Nothing is out of character.

  
“Katie,” he asks, “Can we just skip the campfire tonight?”

  
The crisp September air flows into the cabin. Most campers were gone which meant alternate cabin heads were now in charge. Katie decided to stay here for the year and so did Malcolm. Neither of them had the desire to deal with monsters outside the borders of their camp. Miranda, her second-in-command went on to join the outside world. She was sick of the Gods dictating how she was going to live her life. Annabeth, Malcolm’s superior and the reigning cabin head for Athena Cabin since she was ten, was also gone. She decided to go back to school with Percy.

  
Meaning that Katie and Malcolm had to lead their cabin to dinner and the campfire and every activity they had. There was nobody they could brush it off for the night. Being a cabin head was their 24/7 job.

  
“We can’t,” Katie answers, “we have jobs to do Malcolm.”

  
“We don’t have to do them, Katie.” Malcolm tells her, “We could just lie here until we die. Just you and me and the inevitability of death.”

  
“Are you feeling alright?” Katie goes over to meet him at the foot of her bed. Luckily, she doesn’t have to be squished into one of the bunk beds. Being a cabin head does have its perks.

  
Malcolm absentmindedly fiddles with the fairy lights and vines alongside the wall. He doesn’t reach up to grab the ones hanging from the branches of the oak tree in the middle. Instead, he barely moves. The only indicator that he isn’t asleep is the subtle movements of his thumb and pointer finger, lightly circling what it can reach.

  
“I don’t know,” Malcolm replies.

  
Katie gets up to lock the door and close the curtains. The Stolls be damned if they start rumors. Most campers were in combat training or tutoring. Malcolm probably skipped out of it, even though he enjoys it with every fiber of is being, and Katie tends to the life inside the cabin.

  
For once, Malcolm is admitting he doesn’t know something.

  
Katie fell for the almost cocky air he had when he got something right. She fell for the dorky expression he got when something good happened. His eyebrows would jump up drastically and his eyes would widen while a full grin emerges from his face. Malcolm’s entire face一no, his entire being would glow with pride when he got something right.

  
That was the Malcolm that caused Katie to fall head over heels in love with him.

  
Those expressions were not the ones on his face today. His face sags almost droops. His eyebrows are close to his eyes; not out of frustration or concentration, but almost out of guilt. His eyes look glossy, but no tears would come out. The dark bags under his eyes were more noticeable. His lips would refuse to show his teeth. They just laid there: silent and emotionless.

  
“Aren’t you supposed to be tutoring til five?”

 

“Please don’t remind me,” Malcolm tells her; his voice is hoarse and it sounds like he is in desperate need of water, “I already have so much to do today.”

   
“Do I need to call in Will?”

  
“I’m not sick,” Malcolm replies, “I am not running a fever or anything.”

  
“Being physically sick is not the only kind of sic you can be Malcolm and you know this.” She tells him, “I am calling in Will and that’s final. Something is wrong with you.”

  
“Please一”

  
“No, Malcolm,” Katie interrupts him, “I will be calling in Will and I’ll arrange for Billie and Bea to lead our cabins together. You are put on bedrest by me, even if Will says you have the okay to go around doing regular camp activities.”

  
“You don’t have to do this,” Malcolm replies, slowly sitting up on Katie’s bed, “I am fine; I promise.”

  
“Lay back down Malcolm Pace or we can walk to the infirmary together,” Katie gives him two choices, “Now, which one is it?”

  
He doesn’t say anything, but he falls back down, letting gravity make the choice for him.

  
“Hey,” she says, “I’ll be back in a moment, okay?”

  
Malcolm doesn’t reply. Nor does he respond when she gently kisses his forehead. He just lays on top of the covers on her bed.

  
Malcolm doesn’t move in the ten minutes she’s gone. Any passing person would just assume he’s napping in the cabin. He’s incredible still. Not a single bit of him feels as if it's moving inside or outside of him.

  
The wind jingles the windchime. It’s the only sound in the usually quiet cabin. He can’t see anything. His eyelids feel too heavy to open. They feel as if two elephants are sitting on them.

  
Not less than ten minutes later, his girlfriend Katie and Camp Half-Blood lead doctor Will, walks into the cabin. Katie locks the door behind her.

  
“He’s still lying there.” Katie tells Will, “From afar, he looks as dead as a doornail.”

  
“He is extremely pale,” Will notes. Heading over to him, he writes all of his notes on a clipboard.

  
Katie asks, “Do you have any inkling of what’s wrong with him?”

  
“I can’t tell what’s wrong with him from a simple thirty-second look.” Will notes, “Relax, Katie. He will be in good hands. You can go spend time with you cabinmates if you desire.”

  
“No, I’m staying here.” She replies.

  
Malcolm dryly adds, “Go spend time with your siblings. I’ll be lying here when you return.”

  
“No, I’m staying here Malcolm Pace and that is final.” Katie tells him, “Now, Will, please do your thing so you can enlighten us on what could possibly be wrong with my occasionally thick-headed boyfriend.”

  
“Well, at first glance he’s extremely pale,” Will notes, “Have you been in the Athena Cabin library?”

  
“That’s where I spend most of my time,” Malcolm notes irritably.

  
Katie warns him, “Don’t get an attitude with Will; he is only trying to help.”

  
“I don’t need help,” Malcolm replies.

  
Will, puts his hand on Malcolm’s arm, “Just think of it as a checkup. You don’t have to go to the infirmary when you are sick. Sometimes, you just got to make sure you aren’t sick. It’s just a precaution.”

  
“An unnecessary one,” Malcolm mutters. Katie shoots a warning look at Malcolm topped off with a hand on her hip and an arched eyebrow.

  
“Sit up for me, Malcolm,” Will says, “Now, how are you feeling.”

  
“In all honesty, a bit dizzy,” Malcolm admits.

  
Throughout their little interview, Will notes down information. He coaxes out of Malcolm that while dizziness is the worst, recently he’s been getting really pale skin and fatigue. On top of it, he’s gaining feelings of hopelessness and apathy.

  
“I have a couple of things that could be it.” Will admits, “I’m not certain on any of them, so I will have to keep Malcolm in the infirmary overnight.”

  
Katie helps Malcolm up, “Whatever you say, Solace.”

 

“What do you think it is?” Malcolm asks and he is leaning against Katie.

  
Will answers, “Most likely it’s some form of depression. However, it could be an iron deficiency. None of the things it could be are particularly pretty, so I’m calling in an outside doctor and therapist for you to speak to tomorrow. I can only do so much.”

  
“Everything that you can do Will is great,” Katie says, “Now can you help me get this lug on over to the infirmary?”

  
Will cracks a smile, “Do we need a stretcher?”

  
“I’ll be fine,” Malcolm replies, “Let’s get this over with.”

  
“None of the options will be fast recovery, Malcolm.” Will tells him, “It will take months at a minimum, okay?”

  
“But we’ll get through this,” Katie replies, dead set on it.

  
They hobble out of the Demeter Cabin, taking the first step to helping Malcolm Pace become who he once was.


End file.
